Right Here, Waiting
by Crystal Renee
Summary: Songfic to Staind's Right Here. Sakura and Sasuke talk after the battle to retrieve him from Orochimaru at the bench he left her at nearly three years before. SasuSaku, oneshot.


**Disclaimer: **Nope. I don't own Naruto… sorry everyone.

**Author's Notes:** Okay. Yes. This is a random songfic that I just had to post… the idea came to me while I was going with my mom to get my brother from work. The song fits perfectly for a Sasuke/Sakura moment… or all of their moments. The song is Right Here by Staind (for anyone who hasn't heard it, it rocks).

**_Right Here, Waiting_**

_I know I've been mistaken_

_But just give me a break_

_And see the changes that I've made_

_I've got some imperfections_

_But how can you collect them all_

_And throw them in my face?_

Sakura held her breath as she walked down the path. It had been so long… and they finally had him back. This was the first time in nearly three years she had seen Sasuke—his personality wasn't any different, and neither was his view of her. She had trained so hard just to become stronger for him.

"You really are annoying, even after all this time."

The words had hurt her, but she tried to pay them no heed. After all he'd been through, he was likely to be just as grouchy and pompous as he had been when they first met, or the night he left. It wasn't like Sasuke to admit straight out that she had grown into a woman; nor was it in his nature to marvel at her vastly improved strength. Of course she wasn't going to give up on him—she knew he was keeping up faces.

It had to be hard to believe that everyone would accept him back after leaving to gain power from Orochimaru.

Sighing, Sakura took a few steps closer to him, pulling back the wounded arm he had refused treatment for. They were at the back of the group, so she hoped when no one could see he would allow her the chance to help. She held her palm spread eagle over the majority of the wound, letting her chakra get to work on the healing.

"I told you not to do that."

"And I told you I was going to anyway." Sakura responded. "You're injured and you need to be treated. Your not immortal, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke turned his eyes toward her, watching her as she worked. The concentration in her gaze was almost frightful; he couldn't deny that she had indeed grown. Relief pulsated through his limb as she extracted the pain while healing each fiber in his muscle. He had been very brash before, telling her how weak she still was—he had been very wrong.

"You've… grown a lot, Sakura."

She smiled at him. Even Sakura could tell he had forced himself to let that out, but she knew it was genuine by the way his gaze averted away from her. That was enough… as long as he recognized what she had done since he was gone, she was happy.

_But you always find a way_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_And if you chose to walk away_

_I'd still be right here, waiting_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep you right here waiting_

On their way back into Konoha, the quartet walked down the same road that started their nightmare. Sasuke's steps became jagged at the memories that poured through his head—the way he knocked Sakura out after thanking her. How he'd gently placed her on the bench just across from him now. He halted.

"You have nothing to say to me?" he asked quietly, staring at the bench he had last seen with her body sprawled upon it. "After what I did…"

"No." Sakura responded. "I stayed her. I was waiting—I knew we'd be able to get you back. I didn't want to believe you left, but I didn't have the power to keep you here. I meant what I told you then. I'd do anything for you—I became stronger for you, so that we could bring you back where you belonged."

Sasuke turned his night eyes toward her, watching the reminiscent expression that had befallen her face. She smiled despite the painful memories, holding back the tears she had refused to cry since she decided to become stronger in order to bring him back. His expression softened; he had not expected her to wait this long for something he himself had decided was beyond saving.

"You know, Sasuke-kun… if you had not of done what you did that night, I may have just given up on you." She smiled. "But… you thanked me. I knew you didn't really want to go… part of you wanted to stay here, in Konoha, with Naruto and I, and Kakashi-sensei. You were happy to know someone cared enough to try to stop you… but you were so confused you weren't thinking straight. That's why I never gave up."

_I hope your not intending_

_To be so condescending  
It's as much as I can take_

_And you're so independent_

_You just refuse to bend_

_So I keep bending 'til I break_

Naruto and Kakashi had long since continued traveling on, leaving Sakura and Sasuke to deal with their demons alone. The night wind blew around the pair, speaking the things neither would say at that moment. Sakura's hands fisted together in a nervous gesture, her eyes staring at the bench she had hated for so long. Sasuke was taking in the things she was saying, listening to the hope he had long ago abandoned and she clung to.

Sakura wiped her eyes before continuing. "You were very pompous when you were younger… if I had tried to say these things to you then, you would have told me I was being stupid or annoying and walked away. I always cared about you and did everything in my power to show you that… I was always there. But I never had an affect on you… you never bent. You were this strong, upright tree with roots in darkness. And no matter how much I tried you never swayed. After you left, I broke. I needed a new tactic. I never stopped believing in you, Sasuke-kun."

"Sakura… you really should have just moved on." Sasuke responded. "I can't make you happy."

"That's not true. I'm glad I never gave up. You're here now."

_But you always find a way_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_And if you chose to walk away_

_I'd still be right here, waiting_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep you right here waiting_

_I've made a commitment_

_I'm willing to bleed for you_

_I needed fulfillment_

_I found what I need in you…_

"When Naruto came back from trying so hard to find you… along with Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji and Chouji… I made a choice. I had always been running away and following behind Naruto and you, always hoping the other could do for me what I could not. I knew the only way to be sure you came back was to do it myself, and to do that I needed to become stronger." Sakura explained. "I decided that I was no longer afraid of what could happen—I had been hurt as much as I could be. I was going to fight for you instead of hoping someone else could do it for me. If I died in the process, I could die knowing I had tried my hardest and I wasn't relying on anyone else."

"You really are a fool, Sakura." Sasuke responded.

Her bittersweet smile graced her lips. "I may be, but it's better to be a fool and follow the light path than to be a fool and let circumstances destroy you."

"You haven't forgiven me." He responded.

"No, I haven't." she answered, looking at him. "I did everything for you and you never once let me know how you appreciated it, if you did at all. Then when I told you how much I cared… you knocked me out. You were asking me to come for you, much like your brother is still asking you to kill him. You were telling me to come after you and save you. Did you want me to kill you, Sasuke-kun? I could have never done that. You hurt me a lot… but you are still important to me."

_Why can't you just forgive me?_

_I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made_

_Along the way…_

_But I always find a way_

_To keep you right here, waiting_

_I always find the words to say_

_To keep you right here, waiting_

"I never asked you to stay by me."

"You didn't need to."

Sasuke took a few steps closer to her as she dropped her head—he was within hugging distance, but he'd never do that. His heart was constricting… he had expect to come back and be hated, despised and if nothing else, put to death; yet, here was Sakura, telling him how upset she was with him, but remaining close by him. She had never given up on him… did the rest of the village decide the same?

"Tsunade-sama is willing to let you start off with the Chuunin exam if you want." She responded. "You just need to pledge allegiance to Konoha and…"

Arms wrapped around Sakura before she could complete her sentence, her shocked expression blocked by locks of dark hair. Instinctively her arms slowly edged their way around Sasuke's body as well, holding him in a light embrace that was the complete opposite of the nearly bone-crushing one she was in.

"You are so annoying." He grunted. "Why don't you ever do something for yourself instead of always for me? If I had listened to you in the beginning I wouldn't have hurt you this much."

She smiled. That was as close to an apology as she could get from him. "I do what I want. I wouldn't be happy unless I was doing something for you."

"You know I can't make you happy." He whispered, refusing to let her go. "I'll probably just hurt you again."

"And I'll still be waiting for you, Sasuke-kun."

_But you always find a way _

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

_And if I chose to walk away_

_Would you be right here, waiting_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep me right here, waiting_

Author's Note: Sorry if they're so out of character… I tried my hardest. nods Please enjoy. And review, please! New readers, if you liked this, check out my other Naruto story, _Sacrifice: Wilted Blossom of Spring_.

Love and hugs—

Crystal Renee


End file.
